Casey joins the team of diocesan Schools Superintendent Sister Mary Grace Walsh, who leads 23 elementary and five high schools that serve 12,000 students.

"It's very exciting. I still will be connected to Immaculate, because it is hard to leave a school I have grown to love, but now I will serve all the schools in the diocese," the 51-year-old Casey said. "Throughout my career I have been involved in planning. I like to have a vision and set measurable goals and work with the team to accomplish them."

Part of her new job will be formulating a strategy for the diocese based on her discussions with the school leaders.

"It's all about the students, about how we can best educate them in the Catholic tradition," Casey said, while also having a healthy business model.

"I'm very excited. It's an honor to be part of that community and I'm glad to be at the helm," said Maloney, 58. "Kathleen has certainly started a vision and I look forward to continuing it."

Four years ago Casey recruited Maloney to join the Immaculate advisory board.

"I think so highly of her," Casey said, "and I know she'll be a great fit."

Walsh sent letters Wednesday to the parents of St. Rose and Immaculate students announcing the appointments and explaining how she will conduct a search for a new principal at St. Rose.

Walsh was confident of Maloney, who's been principal of St. Rose of Lima School since 2003, and has been a frequent presenter and committee member in the diocese. Prior to serving as a principal, she taught at St. Rose as well as in Tokyo and Paris.

Walsh said Maloney's educational expertise, combined with her marketing and global background, will be a perfect fit for Immaculate.

"Mary Maloney is excellent," Walsh said. "Kathleen and I agreed."

The process of selecting the new principal for St. Rose will begin immediately, Walsh said. The opening was posted internally and she will post it publicly next week.

But she plans at the beginning of May to gather input from the pastor, parents, teachers, staff and students, about their expectations for the next leader.

"I have no one in mind," she said, "but I always want to conduct a broad-based consultation before making an appointment."

A current diocesan principal might be transferred if it's the right fit or there will be a formal search.

"These are two excellent schools," Walsh said about St. Rose and Immaculate. "They both are on an upward trajectory."

Casey was appointed by Immaculate in October 2008 to fill the position created in 2004 to have a non-academic leader of the regional high school.

She has a master's degree in business administration in marketing and planning and her past experiences include serving as the senior strategic planner for General Motors from 1988 to 1996, as director for planning and special projects at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Fairfield, and as adjunct professor at the University of Indiana.

"She's very good at strategic planning and marketing. She's a strategic thinker. She's done excellent work at Immaculate," Walsh said. "She'll bring new energy to this office."